Sgt. Natalie RostekStaff Sgt. Nicole Harry, from Ramstein, Germany, a structural craftsman for the 557th Expeditionary Red Horse Squadron receives a coin from Col. Wayne W. Grigsby Jr., 3rd HBCT commander, Saturday at FOB Hammer.
MAJ. JOE SOWERS
3/3RD INF. DIV. PAO
FORWARD OPERATING BASE
HAMMER, Iraq — Before there were Soldiers on Forward Operating Base Hammer, there were Airmen. Prior to the arrival of 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, there were more than 200 Airmen from 557th Expeditionary Red Horse Squadron who erected housing and buildings on Hammer. Now the squadron moves on, with recognition and mementos.
3rd HBCT Commander, Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr, and Command Sgt. Maj. James M. Pearson, presented a certificate of appreciation to the unit and coins to numerous Airmen prior to joining them for a barbeque dinner. “FOB Hammer wouldn’t exist without the Red Horse Squadron. They were instrumental in all aspects of developing this FOB from force protection to life support,” said Maj. Dewey Boberg, 3rd HBCT executive offi cer, a native of Anaheim, Calif., “They worked right up to their last day here. On their last day, Airmen were out hammering nails in support of us.” The 557th ERHS deployed to FOB Hammer before the 3rd HBCT to build living quarters and other life support facilities. Prior to their arrival, FOB Hammer consisted of nothing but a few dilapidated buildings, some without four walls. Airmen of the 557th ERHS helped establish force-protection barriers, hard-stand headquarters buildings, living quarters, a dining facility, an aid station and morale, welfare and recreation facilities. “I look at the base now and it’s just amazing,” said Senior Airman William Jennings, a native of Irmo, S.C. “When we first got here it was just dirt. Now it is housing for about 3,500 troops, and we did that in about two to three weeks. It was hard, fast work but now the Army has full living conditions here.” For some Airmen of the 557th ERHS, this was their first time working closely with an Army unit. “It was interesting working with the Army,” said Staff Sgt. Nicole Harry, from Ramstein, Germany. “I saw many differences between the Army and the Air Force, and they helped us build a lot of structures around the base.” “Like anywhere in the military, you could run into road blocks, but working with the Army here was perfectly fine,” said Master Sgt. Terry Babler, from Hawley, Minn., “This was a lengthy deployment for me. I think this is a deployment that the guys were not looking forward to, but we were here, and it had to get done, and we got it done.” Airmen on active-duty status and from the Air National Guard components make up the 557th ERHS. The 92nd Engineer Battalion, 411th Engineer Brigade out of Fort Stewart, Ga., worked with the 557th ERHS for the first month of their mission in support of 3rd HBCT.
3/3RD INF. DIV. PAO
FORWARD OPERATING BASE
HAMMER, Iraq — Before there were Soldiers on Forward Operating Base Hammer, there were Airmen. Prior to the arrival of 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, there were more than 200 Airmen from 557th Expeditionary Red Horse Squadron who erected housing and buildings on Hammer. Now the squadron moves on, with recognition and mementos.
3rd HBCT Commander, Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr, and Command Sgt. Maj. James M. Pearson, presented a certificate of appreciation to the unit and coins to numerous Airmen prior to joining them for a barbeque dinner. “FOB Hammer wouldn’t exist without the Red Horse Squadron. They were instrumental in all aspects of developing this FOB from force protection to life support,” said Maj. Dewey Boberg, 3rd HBCT executive offi cer, a native of Anaheim, Calif., “They worked right up to their last day here. On their last day, Airmen were out hammering nails in support of us.” The 557th ERHS deployed to FOB Hammer before the 3rd HBCT to build living quarters and other life support facilities. Prior to their arrival, FOB Hammer consisted of nothing but a few dilapidated buildings, some without four walls. Airmen of the 557th ERHS helped establish force-protection barriers, hard-stand headquarters buildings, living quarters, a dining facility, an aid station and morale, welfare and recreation facilities. “I look at the base now and it’s just amazing,” said Senior Airman William Jennings, a native of Irmo, S.C. “When we first got here it was just dirt. Now it is housing for about 3,500 troops, and we did that in about two to three weeks. It was hard, fast work but now the Army has full living conditions here.” For some Airmen of the 557th ERHS, this was their first time working closely with an Army unit. “It was interesting working with the Army,” said Staff Sgt. Nicole Harry, from Ramstein, Germany. “I saw many differences between the Army and the Air Force, and they helped us build a lot of structures around the base.” “Like anywhere in the military, you could run into road blocks, but working with the Army here was perfectly fine,” said Master Sgt. Terry Babler, from Hawley, Minn., “This was a lengthy deployment for me. I think this is a deployment that the guys were not looking forward to, but we were here, and it had to get done, and we got it done.” Airmen on active-duty status and from the Air National Guard components make up the 557th ERHS. The 92nd Engineer Battalion, 411th Engineer Brigade out of Fort Stewart, Ga., worked with the 557th ERHS for the first month of their mission in support of 3rd HBCT.
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